Many software development kits (SDKs) for web applications require some type of authentication mechanism. One potential authentication mechanism is known as OAuth (open authentication). However, OAuth has limited functionality, so that it could be beneficial to provide enhancements to OAuth.
Meanwhile, developers of Database.com Java SDK (JSDK) client applications want an easy way to authenticate their existing users into their applications. It is desired this development be kept simple, with as much complexity as possible hidden away.
Another problem exists. In the past, for a user switching between multiple web applications, there was a lack of persistence. That user would at times have to log out and re-log in to each web application, or set up a database to manage the user data for the separate web applications. A developer must be concerned about multiple instances of an application, and replicating authentication across all of those instances.
Consequently, a mechanism for resolving these issues is desired.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.